Tuesday, April 20, 2010

I finally found the time to make a card for this week's Taylored Expressions Sketch challenge. I must admit, I was a little intimidated by this week's layout, but once I got going on the design, it turned out to be quite fun. Here's what I came up with:

I hope you are all having a fabulous Sunday. I am trying to get the remaining two Administrative Professional's Day cards done today, but I can't pass up playing in the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. As usual, Karen has come up with a fun layout to follow. I did have a little trouble coming up with the circle element, trying different brads, flowers and buttons. In the end, I just went with simple. Here is my submission. Enjoy.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Each year for Administrative Professionals Week, my friend asks me to make cards for the three admins he works with. As next week is Administrative Professionals Week, I needed to get started. Here is card number one:

Monday, April 12, 2010

I didn't stamp this weekend, but that's okay, since we spent the weekend with friends who live in California's Central Coast wine region. It's such a beautiful area of California. With all of the rain this winter, the hills are so green and the vines are just budding out with new leaves. Everything is new and fresh. We try to go as often as possible. It's the best place to get out of the city and relax. Of course, the wine is fabulous.

When I got home from work this afternoon, I immediately checked out this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. I decided to pull out a retired Stampin' Up set and DSP for my card. I think it came together nicely.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

At the start of my street, where it intersects with the neighborhood's main street running down to the ocean, there is a small vegetable and fruit stand. Close to the street on the property, is this beat up old pickup truck, all rusted, so much so that it's hard to guess what the original color is. It's parked under a tree and the bed of the truck is filled with dirt and plants. Being spring now, the back of the truck is vivid with colorful flowers. I must pass this spot dozens of times each week. On my way to work, shopping, life's errands, hardly giving it a glance. If I have given it a glance, I've probably thought, "why don't they get rid of that junky old truck?" A few days ago while driving by, I happen to glance over, but this time I noticed the color. Taking a much longer look, taking the time, it occurred to me why this junky old truck is there. It's setting the scene. The scene of "country" in the city. The scene of "garden" in the city. The scene of slowing down and "taking time".

I decided that I would try to "paint" this picture with my rubber stamps. This week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge layout provided the perfect opportunity for me to take the time.

The truck was stamped on watercolor paper with memento tuxedo black ink and masked. The oak tree stamp was colored directly on the rubber with various green SU markers, spritzed with water a few times so the ink was almost runny, then stamped over the masked truck. The truck and the rest of the image was colored with SU inks using the aqua painter. The image was cut out with a circle nestie, then bashful blue ink was sponged in the top of the circle and old olive ink sponged in the bottom. "Happy Birthday" was stamped with black craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

This is one of those card that, indeed, took time to create. I'm pretty happy with my result.